Winterberry Studio: Teaching though nature
Jan. 27—Sierra Marling
Heather Dent is a teaching artist, nature educator, and play facilitator in Berea. She attended Berea College and graduated with a sociology degree in 2011.
With a laugh, she said, "I didn't think art was very practical."
However, she has had a consistent desire to create and to be in nature since she was young. She said the first time she remembers making nature art was in the 7th grade when she used pressed leaves to create a scene depicting a fish, who she affectionately named Fanny, swimming through seaweed.
Later in life, she drew further inspiration while playing with her son. While he spent countless hours enjoying the outdoors, she found herself gathering rocks and leaves to create mandalas and fairy houses.
"Then my Grandma Jane sent me a book called 'Look What I Did With a Leaf!,' and I used it as guide to lead an activity at the Berea Farmers Market. Things just sort of took off from there," she said.
In 2020, she founded Winterberry Studio with the goal to introduce more nature and art into people's lives while teaching them the skills to incorporate outdoor creativity into their everyday.
To do this, she hosts a variety of workshops, many of which are free and open to the public thanks to the support of her patrons on Patreon, as well as local organizations like Berea Kids Eat, First Friday, and Sustainable Berea who fund her workshops.
These workshops are mostly meant for children and include the ever-popular pop-up playgrounds, which Dent describes as "a cardboard box wonderland."
According to Dent, the creativity is in the hands of the children. She provides an assortment of boxes, duct tape, recyclable materials, and art supplies. Then, the kids build and create whatever they want.
Dent also leads workshops like Nature Art 101, Teddy Bear Picnic, Fairy House Workshop, Nature Art Quilt, All About Bugs, and Garden Tub Painting, which are also creatively children-led. That is the important part to Dent.
"We live in a time when it is so easy to lose ourselves to our screens and technology devices. I think some people have forgotten how to enjoy being outside and/or how to be creative," she explained.
According to Dent, she still finds great pleasure in making nature art, even after it has also become a business. Making nature art is her way to meditate and be present in the moment; doing it as a job is just an added bonus.
"The last three years as a female entrepreneur have been incredible," she said. "I found there is a need for more opportunities to create art and be outside, and I am able to help fill that need. I never would have thought I would make it as an artist, but here I am, with my business growing more and more successful each year! It's been a dream come true."
You can book a workshop by filling out the form on the Winterberry Studio website or messaging directly on Facebook or Instagram.
